Feeder for threshing-machines.



F. HAMAGHEK.

FEEDER EOE THRESHING MACHINES;

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.14, 1908.

Patented Mar.22,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

F. HAMACHEK.

FEEDER FOR THRESHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 1908.

Patented Mar. 22, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' Fig. 3; Fig. 5

FRANK HAMACHE'K, G I KE'WAUN'EE, WISCONSIN.

rnn'nnn r'on Tasmanian-Meantime.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 22, acre.

Application filed September 142, 1908. .Serial No. 52,931.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FnaNKHAMaon K, residing in Kewaunee, in thecounty of Ke- Waunee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new, and useful Improvements in Feeders for Threshing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention. has for its object to provide mechanism for feeding grain or vine crops to a threshing machine orthe like and comprises opposite-cutting pronged carriers traveling-lat different speeds to distribute the material evenly across thefeed space.

Another object of the invention is vide new and efficient means for clearing the teeth of. a pron'ged conveyer of the material carried thereby.

Another object of this invention is-to provide means for regulating the uantity of material entering a feeding mec anism for threshing machines and the like;

. Another object of the invention is to improve upon details of general construction pi feeders for threshing machines and the With the above and other objects in View the invention consists in the feeder for' th eshin machines herein claimed, its parts and com inations of parts, and all equivalents.'- I l I Referring to the accompanying drawin s in which'hke characters of reference in icate the same parts in the several views;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a feeder for threshing machines constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View thereof; Fi 4 is a transverse sectional view on the p ane of line 4 4; of is a'similar view on the plane of line 55 of Fig. 3 and indicating the sectional plane of Fig. 3 by the line 3-3; Fig. 6 is a detail elevation showing one end of the fender for restricting the supply of material to the feeder; and, F i 7 is a detail plan view of the strippers or the teeth of the conveyer. Fig. 8 is a sectionalview of one of the teeth of the distributor; and, Fig. 9 is a detail view of a modification thereof.

In these drawings 10 indicates side frames whichconstitute a casing for inclosing the main parts of the feeder, being provided with attaching strips 11 at the discharge to proend for connection with the casing 12 of athreshing machine and having a hopper. like formation 13 at its receiving end. A

bracket 14- is mounted on one side frame and has jcurnaled in it a short shaft 15 which has fixed thereon a gear wheel 16 and two sprocket wheels, I? and 18' respectively.

The sprocket wheel 18 is for driving the distributer, as will be later described, while the sprocket wheel 1.? is adapted for connection with some suitable driving mechanism. The gear wheel 16 meshes with a larger gear wheel 19 on a stud 20 of the side frame, said gear wheel 19carrying a sprocket wheel 21 which is connected by a chain 22 with a sprocket wheel 23 on a. shaft 2t'which is journaled in bearings 25 in the side frames and extends across the end of the casing. The bearings 25 of shaft 24: are mounted at one end of a conveyer frame "with a similar shaft 26 atits other end journaled in bearings 27, the bearings being on the ends of parallel stringers 28 which are connected together at intervals by cross pieces 29 to form a rigid rectangular fralne-- work. The bearings 27 are slidably mountedso as to be moved either toward or away from shaft 24- by adjusting means 30 to tighten the conveyer, which is formed of a number of chains 31 traveling around sprocket wheels 32 on shaft 26 and around sprocket wheels 33 on shaft 24:. The chains 31. at theiru'pper len ths bear upon metalstrips 34: and are guided between Wooden strips 35 which form a decking for the con veyer in connection with ametal covering 36. Teeth or arms 37 project from the chains 31 at intervals and ride. in slots formed between the stri s of the decking,

the metal covering 36 bein bent in a semicylindrical form around the shaft 26 at a distance therefrom to form a guard 38 to practically cover the teeth 37 as they make their u ward turn to begin vthe ascent 'of the dec ing, which is preferably arranged on an incline as shown. The ob ect in thus shielding the teeth 37 at the lower. end of the decking is to prevent their accidental engagement. with the clothing of the attendants. 1 1

A. distributer frame, comprising stringers 39 and cross pieces, 40, is mounted in the casing by having bolts all thereon projecting through vertical slots 42 in tie side frames'lO so that it may be adjusted towgrd or away from the conveyer over which it is located. At one end of the distributer frame a shaft 43 is journaled in bearin s 44 which project through vertical slots in the side frames 10, as shown in. Fig. 5, there being a sprocket wheel 45 on said shaft connected by a chain 46 with the sprocket wheel 17 before mentioned. At the other end of the distributer frame a shaft 47 is journaled in adjustable bearings 48 for tightening the distributer chains 49 which are mounted on sprocket wheels 50 on said shaft and sprocket wheels 51 on shaft 43. These chains also are provided with teeth or projections 52 for engaging the material to be fed to the threshing machine, and to prevent the chains yielding to pressure from beneath them, they have metal strips 53 above them a ainst which they may bear. Like the chains of the conveyer, the chains 49 also ride between wooden strips 54 which are surfaced with strips of sheet metal 55, a guard 56 being formed by the latter around shaft 47 in a similar manner and for a similar urpose to the guard 38. lhe chains 49 aifso have bearing strips 57 on the top of the distributer frame on which they may bear on their return movement and strips 66 form a covering for the distributer. The conveyer being driven from the large ear 19 meshing with the smaller gear 16 of the driving means for the distributer will move more slowly than the distributer and carry the bundles of grain or loose material from the hopper 13 toward the threshing machine and beneath the distributer. The higher ortion of the material on the conveyer wlll be engaged by the teeth 52 of the more rapidly moving distributer and receive a raking action therefrom, whichwill spread it evenly over the surface of the conveyer, this action becoming effective to a greater depth as the material progresses, on account of the converging relation of the conveyer and the distrlbuter.

To prevent the machine becoming choked by too lar e a supply of material, a fender is provid in advance of the distributer and comprises a pair of arms 58 pivotally adjustable on the side frames and carrying a rod 59 which is rigidly clamped thereto and is provided with a number of downwardly extending spring fingers 60. The material which passes into the machine is required to travel beneath the fender fingers 60 and they serve to retard the surplus until thematerial beneath has passed into the machine. Thus, by adjusting the position of the arms 58, the quantity of material fed to the machine may be varied to suit the reguirements. Should a mass of material be ed to the machine which is too large to enter the space between the conveyer and the distributer it will be held by the fender 60;

l I and the teeth 37 of the conveyer have their front edges so inclined as to force their way I beneath the same without dragging it into the opening until it is reduced. The in clined edge of the teeth 52 of the distributer is rearwardly disposed, so as to have the forward edges positively engage the material so as to produce the raking action for which they are intended.

lln order-to clear the material from the teeth of the distributer and the conveyer at the mouth of the thresher, the shafts 53 and 24 carry clearing disks 61 and 62 re spectively, preferably by having them bolted to their sprocket wheels, the said disks serving by the faster movement of their edges to force the material away from,the chains to clear the ends of the teeth and permit the teeth to pass around the sprocket wheels for their return travel. To further assist in thus clearing the material from the teeth of the chains, the strips 54 of the decking of the distributer are provided with curved stripping lates 63, which are preferably arrange( as shown in Fi s. 3 and 5, with their curved downwardly ent edges standing close to the edges of the disks 61 to form narrow slots therebetween through which the teeth 52 pass in turning around the sprocket wheels 51. likewise the disks 62 of the conveyer are assisted in their stripping effect by means of plates 64 which, as shown in Fig. 3, are arched over the shaft 24 from the decking of the conveyer to the mouth of the thresher, these plates, as shown in lFi s. 5 and 7, having their edges turn upward y to form protecting flanges to prevent the material following the teeth and the disks below the conveyer. Suitable chain tighteners 65 are adjustably mounted on the side frame 10 where they may engage the chains 22 and 46 to take up slack therein.

In operation, material is fedto the hopper 13 either loose or in bundles and is carried upon the conveyer by the engagement of the teeth 37 therewith, the fender fingers 60 detaining any surplus thereof until the material beneath has passed along. On the material passing the fender it is straightened ,and distributed by the action of the more rapidly moving teeth 52 of the dis tributer, said teeth servin to comb or rake the material over the entire'surface of the conveyer which latter is prevented from yielding to the material by the bearing strips 53 thereabove, just as the conveyer chains are prevented from yielding by the presence of the bearing strips 34 therebeneath. When the material reaches the clearing disks 61 and 62 it is forced out of engagement with the teeth 52 and. 37 so that said teeth may return without it and itis then guided by the plates 64 into the mouth of the threshing machine. As before stated the clearing action of the disks 61 and 62 is facilitated by the plates 63 and 64.

When it is desired to set the distributer chance is permitted by their chain connection which may betightened if necessary by the chain tightener 65.

By sharpening the front edges of the teeth 52 of the distributer they may serve as band cutters for severing the bands of bundles of grain, the slower moving teeth 37 of the conveyer holding the bundle between them while the sharpened teeth 52 cut the band and spread the material evenly over the full width of the conveyer. The slanting front edges of the teeth 37 of the conveyer prevent their drawing the material down throu h the slots between the stri per plates 64. stead of sharpening the ront edges of the teeth 52 of the distributer or the teeth 37 of the conveyer to utilize these parts as band cuttersas shown in Fig. 8 the said teeth have cutter blades secured thereto in the manner shown in Fi 9 or in any other desirable Way to accomp ish this same pur-' pose.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A feeder for vine threshing machines and the like, ed chain,-a shaft carrying a sprocket wheel on which the chain rides, teeth on the chain for engaging material to be fed, and an untoothed disk on the shaft concentric'with the sprocket wheel and extending close to the path of the teeth of the chain and beyond the ends thereof to clear the material therefrom by its faster moving edge. v A

2. A feeder for threshing machines and the like, comprising a suitably mounted chain constituting a conveyer, a shaft having a sprocket wheel around which the chain travels, teeth on the chain for engaging the material to be fed, a disk mounted on the shaft and extending close to the teeth as they material therefrom, and a pass to clear the stripper extending over the shaft and having a slot through which the teeth and the disk pass, the edges of the slot being turned upwardly to form flanges for stripping the material from the teeth and the disk. v

3; A feeder for threshing machines and the like, comprising a suitably mounted chain constituting a conveyer, a shaft having a. sprocket wheel around which the chain travels, teeth on the chain for engaging the material tobe fed, a disk mounted on the comprising a suitably mountr shaft and extending close to the teeth as they pass to clear the material therefrom, and a stripper extending over the shaft and havin a slot through which the teeth and the dlsk pass, the edges of the slot being turned upwardly to form flanges for stripping the material from the teeth and the disk, and the front edges of the teeth being inclined to avoid carrying the material through the slot.

4. A feeder for threshing machines and the like, comprising a conveyer, a series of faster moving chains mounted above the conveyer, a shaft having sprocket wheels around which the chains pass, downwardl directed teeth on the chains for engaging t e material carried by the conveyer and spreading it over the surfacethereofland disks on the shaft close to the teeth and extending beyond the teeth for stripping the material from the teeth.

5. A feeder for threshing machines, comprising a conveyer, a series of faster moving chains mounted above the conveyer, a shaft having sprocket wheels around which the chains pass, teeth on the chains for engaging the material carried by the conveyer to spread it over the surface thereof, disks on the shaft close to the teeth to strip the material'from the teeth, and plates having curved edges also extending close to the teeth to form a slot between them and the disks in which the teeth may withdraw from the material.

6. A feeder for threshing machines, comprising a conveyer, a frame mounted thereabove, shafts journaled in the frame, sprocket wheels on the shafts, a series of faster movin chains mounted on the sprocket whee s, teeth on the chains for engaging the material carried by the conveyer and for spreading it over the surface thereof, strips of sheet metal secured to the frame and forming a bearing surface for the material, said strips being. spaced apart to form slots through which the fingers travel .and being bent at one end around one of the shaftsat a distance therefrom to form a guard for the fingers.

7. A feeder for threshing machines and the like, comprising a casing, a conveyer mounted therein, a distrihuter frame adjustably mounted .in the casin chains mounted on the dlstributer frame, teeth on the chains for engaging the material carried by the conveyor and for spreading it over the surface thereof, and adjustable spring fender fingers in advance of the .distributer frame to regulate the quantity of material permitted to pass beneath the dis tribut'er frame. v

8. A feeder for threshing machines and the like, comprising a casin an inclined conveyer frame mounted t erein, shafts journaled in the conveyer frame, sprocket faster moving wheels on the shafts, chainspassing around the sprocket wheels, teeth on the chains, a decking mounted on the eonveyer frame with slots through which the teeth project,

a distributer frame adjustably mounted in the casing, shaftsjournaled thereon, sprocket wheels on the shafts, distributer chains passing around said sprocket Wheels, teeth on the distributer chains for engaging the material carried by the conveyer chains and for spreading it evenly over the decking, and

disks on one of the shafts of the conveyer and one of the-shafts of the distributer for clearing the material from the teeth of the respective chains.

I 9. A feeder for threshing machines, comprising a conveyer provided with sharpeeaeeo ened teeth to form hand cutters in combination With a distributer also provided with sharpened teethto form band cutters, the teeth of the conveyer and the teeth of the distrihuter extending toward each other and traveling in the same direction but at different speeds, and disks on the shafts of the conveyer and distributer close to the teethand extending beyond the teeth for stripping the material from the teeth.

ln testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses,

FRANK HAMACHEK.

\Yitnesses:

lt. S. U, CALDWELL, ALMA A. hirnuo. 

